The Washington critic., 1887-11-14
WASHINGTON, NOV. II, 1887
COMBINATIONS"

basis OF each combination Is assumed
"sure" electoral vote of 1872.
To this 1t adds Indiana 10 and New
Jersey 0, making 90G. or five more
votes than are necessary. This Is the
first combination.
Again, by simple addition, 1s2 plus
Indiana 10 and Connecticut @. makes
203, or enough and two 10 spare.
Still again, 1872 plus New York, 80,
makes 2ls, which Is right smart of u
majority.
These are the second and third com.
binations.
or" our esteemed Philadelphia
contemporary continues, ''ifiho Repub.
licans can carry North Carolina, Ten.
nessee and West Virginia they can af-
ford TO lose all the doubtful Northern
States. Or If they can carry Indiana
and any one of these three they can
afford TO lose New York, New Jersey
and Connecticut"
There Is too grta a predominance
of Ifs in the paragraph quoted 10 give
1t calculable weight
IN the combinations mentioned, the
Democrats are allowed but 153 sure
votcs-all the Southern States-the 66
doubtful votes being distributed as
follows: New York, SO; Indiana, 10;
New Jersey, 0. and Connecticut, G; so
that It would be absolutely necessary
for the Democratic candidate to carry
New York, giving him 1s0 and IL ad-
ditional votes, In order to win.
Indiana alone would settle 1t; so
would Connecticut and New Jersey;
but not the three without New York.
The chances, as thus stated, It will
be generally admitted, are considerably
In favor Of the Democr ats.
But let US look for moment at the
''sure Republican column" of the Press,
cut Of which 1t was enabled TO lay Its
very comfortable foundation of 1s2
votes. 1t includes California, Oregon
and Nevada, with IA votes, that should
properly go to the doubtful column,
for the Press says about them "They
are sure, with the right kind of can.
didate-not otherwise" implying
material uncertainty, thus enhancing
the Democratic chances to that ex.
tent
That is, assuming New York to be
safe.
If the Democrats lose New York and
carry all of the other six States men.
toned as doubtful, they will still lack
four of the necessary 20l votes. They
must carry New York or they are
beaten, though some of the political
prophets would class Wisconsin, Min.
nesota and even Iowa aud Illinois as
doubtful This is too great a strain on
present probabilities.
Is not the Administration. however,
certain of New York The contin.
gency of the Presidents losing his own
State, especially In the light of recent
political events, is only to be enter.
tained upon the theory of some eyre.
gious blunder on the part of the Ad.
ministration that will bieak his hold.
This we do not anticipate and his
friends have no reason TO fear. But It
will require circumspection, vigilance,
judicious declarations Of policy and
careful selection for second place on
the ticket to secure from the West or
the Pacific Slope the doubtful votes
that he may need, In case of any de.
fection In Connecticut or New Jersey.
IN A LETTER to the New York Ecea-
ing Post. concerning the Centennial
Celebration Of the Constitution, Alger-
non s. Sullivan expresses the hope that
there may be harmonious public action
In favor OF the celebration In New York
rather than In Washington. He has
heard that many members of Congress
hesitate to give Government sanction
TO the affair unless 1t be at the National
Capital. Mr.. Sullivan seems not TO
have heard that the Senate of the United
States is already committed by resolu-
tion adopted on the 10th OF January
last TO the "affair" at Washington, and
the resolution was only crowded aside
by the House In the confusion of Its
closing session. Congress will no
doubt be ready to acknowledge by its
presence and otherwise the proposed
observances In New York, but 1t Is as
good as settled that the celebration
proper will be held at the seat of Gov.
eminent as ii rightfully should be.
THE correspondent of a New York
paper says that the late elections are
full of instruction TO politicians, and
that they may learn from the results
that the open, straight forward way Of
meeting public questions is the best,
For instance:
In New York, where tho Republicans co.
quetted with the Labor domagogues, they are
beaten worse than usual In Ohio, where the
Democrats did the same, they suffer the same
fate. In the western part Of estate, whore
the Democrats hoped much from the Prohlb,
tion vote, the plurallties arc heaviest against
Them.
How was II In Massachusetts,, where
the Democrats made "open, straight
forward" war on the Mugwumps anil
consented to no entangling allances2
Mr.. JOSEPH CHAMBERLAIN Is Ia
favor Of extending the present extra.
dition treaty between England and the
United States so rs TO cover much
larger number OF ofIenses than at pres
ent, but he would not include what are
known as political crimes in the treaty.
lie says that the policy of England on
this point is fixed, and the British
Government would never ask conces.
sions Of any other nation that 1t